The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-26
CONVICT LIFE.
Thrilling Description of Prison in
belgium Which is Only a Living
Tomb.

prison in which the SySteme ceIIuIaire OF
absolute isolation by day and by night is
still enforced, and it has on that ground a
strange and sad celebrity. That one prison
is the MaiSon Centrale OF Louvain.
In England and in France prisoners are
subjected to less severe penalties, for al
though they are condemned in silence, they
at least work in common, walk III common,
nray in common. and confinement in their
cells is only a temporary measure required
to in case of characterization or misbe-
havior The question now pendant in
France of replacing the actual penitentiary
system by the solitary system adopted in
Belgium gives interest to the details of a
visit paid TO the prison of Louvain.
The buildings are situated on the anterior
bouevards, nearly outside the town. They
all converge to a central apsis, whence a
warder can easily survey the six immense
avenues or wings, consisting of two stories
of cells. While some slight repairs were be-
ing done to one Of these cells, a figure sud
denly appeared standing motionless at the
door-a mysterious and CHASTITY apparition
clad entirely in white linen, head and face
closely masked by hood of the same ma
terial Air was admitted to eyes, nose, and
mouth by four holes. Obeying a
rapid sign from the warder, the figure turn
ed to the wall and crossed its hand behind
the apertures of his concealing headgear the
prisoner of Louvain must never catch a
passing glimpse of any human face beyond
his keepers, and no breath of the outer
world must pass upon his shrouded cheek.
He wears his linen hood summer and winter,
but during the cold he is provided with
warm brown woollen clothes Labor is
compulsory in the prison, and the days are
spent III one unvarying monotonous round
Of self-same duties.
At o'clock the peals of an organ wake
the convicts. They come from the chapel,
all the doors Of which are thrown open, and
the prisoner who can play the organ strikes
the first chords. This is the signal for all
the others to rise, dress and make up their
beds and bedding. The music lasts for
fifteen minutes, and may, at the will of the
player, consist of religious anthems,
operatic airs, waltzes, or polkas-notes that
must strike with dreary significance on the
ears of some of the wretched beings clois-
tered there They do not belong to the
dregs of society.
At the last sound of the organ the warvlers
must find each man at his work. Breakfast
consists of half pint of coffee and bread,
and the two other meals of the day of soup
and vegetables. Three times a week the
conviCts have fresh meat, but never wine.
The convict who has earned a certificate of
good conduct, however, can procure some at
the prison canteen as well as beer and to-
bacco in stated quantities.
Each day the prisoners are taken out of
their cells in rotation for solitary exercise
in separate yards The rest of the time is
entirely given up to the accomplishment Of
their allotted portion of work, except on
Sunday, which is a day of absolute rest.
Between the religious services the convictS
are at liberty to employ their leisure i'll
their cells as they think proper. The prison
library contains considerable collection of
books of travel, from which each man can
make a selection. Only those who can
neither read nor write are compelled to at
tend school for instruction between mass
and vespers This takes place in the chapel
itself.
Nothing can be more striking than the
construction and internal arrangement of
this chapel. 1t is large, cycle or wheel con-
BSting entirely of superficial fights of steps,
like circular and reversed amphitheatre,
the centre of which forms a raised stage, on
which stands the altar, towering far above
the heads of the pbantom-hlSe congregation.
Each row of steps is divided into compart-
ments or pigeon holes just large enough for
man to sit and kneel When the hour for
divine services has come the first cell
is opened by a warder, and convict
No. l is led out, conducted to the chapel,
and, entering the row to which he belongs,
walks to the tarthest compartment, which
at once closes upon him. Then only No.
leaves his cell and goes through the same
performance; and so on till all are settled,
no man being permitted to move till the
one Immediately preceding him has entered
his allotted pen After mass they are all
taken back into their cells in the same or
der and with the same precautions.
There are about twelve flights of steps,
containing sixty seats each, but as the cir
Gle of the chapel is divided by five Or six
immense partitions, into each of which the
prisoners are carried simultaneously, the
operation takes comparatively only a short
time. From his stall each convict is able to
see and follow every movement of the priest
who otiiciates at the altar on the central
platform, while he cannot catch even
glimpse of his right and left hand neighbors
owing to the height of the dividing DOORS
nor can he look over at the opposite row,
which is hidden by a boarding higher than
himself, and which as etfectually shuts out
rom his view those above or below, before
and behind him.
The cells are clean and well arranged.
Daylight is admitted by small window be-
yond the prisoners reach, The ventilation
Is perfect. In winter the mouth of hot
air pipe gives sufficient heat and in the
evening the Necessary light is procured by a
gas Jet to which there is no access from the
interior Of the cell. The furniture consists
u " NdeuS(dlll, COHlIllOue on Jn6 DtSU Sttlll-
tary principle, shelf supporting some pew
Ter utensils and an iron bed. The bedding
is a foundation of sacking, a mattress, two
sheets, one blanket in summer and two i'll
winter, and bolster The convict has to
told and put these things away. The bed
ltSeli IS taken TO pieces and placed against
The wall, forming table, in front of which
Is a stool The remainder of the space is
taken up by the implements necessary to
The convicts obligatory daily work.
some OF the convicts are shoemakers, 9th
ers Dookblnders, tailors, carpenters, even
smiths The newcomer who knows no trade
Is taught one Those who have had supe-
rlor education are employed in copying
Students essays. The product Of each mans
laoor is divided equally between the State
ana himself. This latter portion is again
Sub-dlvided, one-half being put aside for tine
nay OF his liberation, if not incarcerated for
isie, and the other deposited at the canteen
Tor his private use. His earnings never eX-
coed &c: or &c. a day. In the evening. labor
ended, he dimes and goes to bed. To the
uTeary silence of the day succeeds the dreary
silence of darkness.
The rules Of the prison are such that the
oonVlctS must replace their hooded masks
5 o., soon as the doors of their cells open.
Ihey cannot expose their faces even TO their
warders. If perchancc face is seen by
Goctor, it is paled by the long sunless
Ia NH e.